When someone asks you, “Can you help me this weekend? (Konshu matsu tetsudatte itadake masuka? (今週末、手伝っていただけますか？こんしゅうまつ　てつだって　いただけますか？)” in Japanese, how would you respond?  If you are available to help out, you can reply saying, “Sure, I can help you.” In Japanese, this is expressed as, “Un, tetsudaeru yo. (うん、手伝えるよ。うん、てつだえるよ。)”

As you noted here, the word, tetsudau (てつだう) == > becomes tetsudaeru (てつだえる) to express the meaning, “can help”.  This lesson covers many of the examples showing you how you can express “can ~” in Japanese.   Stay tuned!

 

You might notice the pattern below. To convert the verb into “can ~” form, you use the extra words at the bottom of each verb, “eru (える)”.  Take a look at each example below to get an idea on how you can use it in the sentence.

Help ==  Can Help

tetsudau ==> tetsudaeru　　　手伝う（てつだう）＝＝＞手伝える（てつだえる）

I can help you tomorrow. ==> Ashita tetsudaeru yo.(明日、手伝えるよ。あした、てつだえるよ。)

 

Run ==> Can Run

hashiru ==> hashireru   　　　走る（はしる）　＝＝＞走れる　（はしれる）

I can run fast! ==> Hayaku hashireru yo. (速く、走れるよ。はやく　はしれるよ。)

 

Buy ==> Can Buy

kau ==> kaeru   　　　買う（かう）　＝＝＞買える　（かえる）

I can buy the cookie with my money. ==> Jibun no okanede ano cukki- ga kaeruyo.(自分のお金で、あのクッキーが買えるよ。じぶんのおかねで、あのクッキーがかえるよ。)

 

Go ==> Can Go

iku ==> ikeru   　　　行く（いく）　＝＝＞行ける　（いける）

I can go to beach tomorrow with you.==> Ashita anatato isshoni bi-chi e ikeru yo.(明日、あなたと一緒に　ビーチへ行けるよ。あした、あなたといっしょに　ビーチへいけるよ。)

 

Sleep ==> Can Sleep

neru==> nereru   　　　寝る（ねる）　＝＝＞寝れる　（ねれる）

I can sleep with lights on. ==> Denki ga tsuite itemo nereru yo.(電気がついていても、寝れるよ。でんきがついていても　ねれるよ。)

 

Eat==> Can Eat

taberu==> tabereru   　　食べる（たべる）　＝＝＞食べれる（たべれる）

I can eat even spicy food. ==> Karai mono demo tabereru yo. (辛い物でも食べれるよ。　からいものでも　たべれるよ。)

 

Write==> Can Write

kaku==> kakeru   　　書く（かく）　＝＝＞書ける（かける）

I can write long essay. ==> Nagai sakubun ga kakeru yo. (長い作文が書けるよ。ながいさくぶんが、かけるよ。)

Hope you got an idea on how we can covert the normal form to can form in Japanese. These expressions can be also expressed as ” can run (hashiru kotoga dekiru)” for example. This expression is also valid as it means the same thing. However, most of the time, ERU form sounds much more natural!